David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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633. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if consideration has been given to expanding the role of the local enterprise offices to include businesses with more than ten employees and to take in tourism and food enterprises in line with regional strategies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29647/16]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The LEOs offer direct grant aid to microenterprises (10 employees or fewer) in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sector which, over time, have the potential to develop into strong export entities.

However, LEOs can also offer ‘soft’ supports to businesses employing more than 10 employees e.g. training, mentoring, advice or sign posting to other support providers. This decision was reached so as to bridge any gap between those that were eligible for direct grant-aid from the LEOs and those that were eligible for Enterprise Ireland support.

There is no plan to extend the provision of direct financial aid to companies with more than ten employees. The mission of the LEOs, as stated in the published Customer Service Charter is to ‘aim to promote entrepreneurship, foster business start-ups and develop existing micro and small businesses to drive job creation and to provide accessible high quality supports for your business ideas’. As stated above, this is not confined to providing financial aid to a company in actual fact the provision of the softer supports has proven in many cases to be more beneficial to companies.

In relation to Tourism, salary support may be offered to unique tourism services projects that are focused predominantly on generating revenues from overseas visitors and which do not give rise to deadweight and/or displacement in the local economy. The LEOs work in collaboration with Fáilte Ireland through a signed protocol between Enterprise Ireland and Fáilte Ireland. This was put in place to establish a structured link between the bodies regarding the provision of information and guidance on measures in support of enterprise development.

In order to assist start-up food and drink producers to enter new markets, the LEOs, in partnership with Bord Bia and SuperValu, run a 'Food Academy Start' programme at intervals throughout the year. The programme provides a standardised suite of supports tailored to new and early-stage food businesses. This has proved extremely successful and according to Musgrave Retail Partners/SuperValu 281 small food businesses are currently selling their food and drink products in SuperValu stores, generating an estimated €25 million in retail sales in 2016.